The club was formed in 1978 as a result of a surge in interest in athletics
locally, created by the coming of the English Schools Track and Field
Championships to the track at, what is now, Brookfield Community School, in
July of that year. Training took place during the summer on the cinder track
at Queens Park Annexe with winter training at a variety of sports halls.

The Club founders were mostly
local school teachers and included the head of Deincourt School (who was the
first Chairman), Sandy Ellis, Jenny Weaver (later Guest) who was Secretary
for a number of years. Other founder members were the late Frank Curry and
Alan Plater. Brian and the late Irene Larder and Frank Gorman, became
involved in around 1980.

Initially, competition was in the South Yorkshire T and F and X-C leagues,
until we joined the National Young Athletes League (Boys) in the early 80’s,
winning promotion to the Northern Premier in our first season. Other leagues
competed in since included Heart of England League, Central Girls League,
Girls Young Athletes League, Notts Mini League, Notts Sportshall League, and
Lincs Cross-Country League.

In the thirty plus years of our existence we have produced many County,
Northern and National Champions, plus medallists too numerous to mention.
When you consider our lack of good all-year round facilities for the first
thirty years, we have vastly over-achieved both as a club and in the
standard of athletes we have produced. This can be put down to the fact that
any deficiencies were more than offset by the standard of coaching, support,
enthusiasm and organisational back-up provided by the Club, coaches, team
managers and parents.

Our current facilities

The Club moved its training base to Tupton Hall School in 2008 where we have
the benefit of a floodlit all-weather track as well as an indoor sports hall
and gym. Sadly, the track is not up to full competition standard, so we use
the track at Spinkhill belonging to Mt St Mary’s school to host League
matches.

Currently we compete in the
Derbyshire Mini Leagues (Track, Sportshall and X-C) which is for under 11,
13 & 15 athletes, the North Midlands X-C League for all ages, the UK Youth
Development League which has a Lower category for u13 & 15's and an Upper
for u17/20 athletes and the Northern Senior League. We also enter teams into
road & cross-country events. There are also many open meetings as well as
County, Regional and National Championships.

Our training sessions

Our general training sessions are held on a
Tuesday and
Thursday at Tupton Hall School where we meet
from 6.30 in the common area by the sports hall. Our sessions start at 6.45,
ending at 8.15, and are suitable for those aged 9 years and upwards (we do
not take athletes younger than 9).
All of our sessions are all-year round apart
from two weeks at Christmas.

Beginners are inducted to the Club in our Academy where they will experience
all running, jumping and throwing. We allow new starters 4 sessions to try
the Club before we ask for a membership to be paid. Our £2 session fee is
due at all training sessions, even during the induction period.

From the Academy once an athlete is deemed
suitable for event specific training they may be moved to the relevant
coach(es). A coaches list is located on the Coaching page of our website.
All athletes who are training are expected to compete when selected, all
those in the u11, 13 & 15 age groups are expected to compete in mini league
competitions where there is no limit to the number of athletes who may
compete.